SINGERS and musicians from Welsh National Opera have been entertaining staff at Associated British Ports in a bid to unlock creativity.

South Wales ABP director John Fitzgerald said, “Bringing music and performance into the workplace has motivated staff in a fantastic way. I’d heard theories about the effects of classical music playing in the workplace and was interested to try the experiment.

“We’ve had a string quartet playing at peoples’ desks which went down very well, and a lunchtime recital by Bellavoci.

“This was a concert performance by two members of WNO’s acclaimed Chorus, which took place in our Cardiff conference room — quite a privilege.”

The Western Mail asked other members of the Welsh business community to name the pieces of music they find invigorating.

David Rosser, director of CBI Wales, said he would consider using the music in the office “as long as it wouldn’t interfere with phone calls.”

He is a fan of Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf.

David Brookesbank, of the University of Glamorgan’s business school, appreciates AC/DC’s rousing Highway to Hell.

Meanwhile, Roger Thomas, chairman of Cooke & Arkwright, said that the song that most inspired him was Layla by Eric Clapton.

RTWT. Sadly, I don’t know any Meat Loaf, DC or Clapton off the top of my head.
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Dan and I were discussing the new bike Jameson is getting for graduation/birthday/all other events for the rest of his life (well, okay, nix that last one) and just how much it’s going to cost. Good bikes aren’t cheap. Jameson wants to race. So I know it’s going to hit the pocketbook (as if anyone has a “pocketbook” any more). Hard. Dan said he thought the guy selling it to us (a friend) will try to keep it down, but it’ll still be costly. So I said … drum roll please … “I’m just a poor oboe player.”

To which, of course, Dan responded with a smile. A big smile. And some sort of witty comment. And then a “So that’s why they are tuning to the violin now?”

Brought to vibrant life by Symphony Silicon Valley and Chorale, the PLAY! concert features award-winning orchestral music from popular video game titles including Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, The Legend Of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., World Of Warcraft, Sonic The Hedgehog, Shenmue as well as titles that haven’t even been released such as Lost Odyssey, and Darkness. Outstanding graphics on large screens above the orchestra will accompany the scores to highlight memorable moments from the games.

We’ve done similar concerts twice; I played the first one. They sell out. People come in costume. They recognize tunes very quickly and start cheering. They are mostly younger people, the sort we don’t see a lot of in our usual concerts. For two hours we can all enjoy the cheering, hooting and hollering and feel (well, sort of) like rock stars. And it’s fun.

Is it selling out? I dunno. I do know it’s my last gig of the season and then I’ll be worrying about money, so I’m extremely happy to have the work!

I hate playing schlocky music, but when I played the last video game concert it wasn’t bad stuff. I didn’t feel the same way I felt playing some pretty darn rotten pops concerts, where we play butchered rock tunes re-written very poorly for a symphony orchestra.

In any case, now you know what a “video game concert” is, Cooper. As do others! :-)

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The performance was not without comic relief: Just prior to the hushed cadenza at the end of the third movement, an unfortunate woman in the first row had a sneezing fit. At first Haitink just glared at her. When it continued he turned to her, ever the conductor, and shooed her from the room with both hands. She left.

Hmmmm … comic relief? I’m not sure “comic” is the right word. Yes, she should have left or, better yet, not come if she was sick and knew this might happen. But sometimes things like this come out of the blue and there is no warning. Especially in places like concert halls where all the women decide to bathe in perfume before they leave home and men douse themselves in cologne. I understand Haitink’s frustration, but as we talk about how stiff the symphony hall can feel, maybe this isn’t a good thing.

Then again, I wasn’t there. Maybe it was horrible, this Sneezing Sally™ and maybe she deserved the humiliation. I think cell phones and candy wrappers, wanna be conductors (yes, I’ve seen people conducting from their seats) and hummers … more deliberate evils … deserve more humiliation, though.

RTWT.
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As the rhythmic rise and fall of a string of delicate notes on a tranquil overture, Symphony graces waiting and common areas with the fluidity of modern design. Set on cast aluminum legs, the formed plywood seat structure creates a visually stunning feat, spawning seating area for two to eight persons.

Symphony can also be placed against a wall for single sided seating or as an island in a larger area for dual sided seating.